


Sea Salt

by Cottonstones



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Day At The Beach, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 14:22:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4709210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cottonstones/pseuds/Cottonstones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's only one person in the entire world that Dan will go into the ocean for, and that's Arin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sea Salt

**Author's Note:**

> This was influenced by the Grumps' recent conversation about Dan's fear of the ocean from a recent Mario Galaxy episode!

Dan peers out of the passenger side window of Arin's car. In the distance, he can see rolling waves of blue and gray. His stomach promptly knots and he has to look away, his gaze switching to Arin sitting next to him.

"Is it too late to say that I've change my mind?"

Arin kills the ignition and smiles. "I'm already slathered in sunblock, so yes."

Dan sets his head back against the head rest of the car. He tries to hold in the rumble of nerves that start pulsing through him. Arin's hand finds Dan's shoulder and Dan turns his attention to him.

"If you really don't want to, then I'm not going to make you. You know that, right?"

Dan smiles as Arin's fingers tighten on his shoulder. "No, I know. I do want to do this. I promised."

Arin grins and Dan can feel the knots tangling his stomach begin to loosen, strings of panic slipping away to be replaced by this warm feeling that he always gets when Arin directs a smile at him.

"Just like I promised to protect you. Dude, I will totally punch a shark in the face for you."

A giggle bubbles out of Dan. He's still nervous, but it's fading. "I'm gonna hold you to that. Use those fuckin' jacked arms for something."

"Alright," Arin says, clapping Dan's shoulder as he pushes the car door open and lets in a rush of fresh ocean air, salt and sand and Arin's coconut-scented sunblock drifting past Dan. "Let's go." Arin's out of the car and moving around to the trunk to gather all of the crap that he decided was necessary for today's trip.

Dan, unable to stall any longer, gets out of the car and joins Arin at the trunk. Arin lifts out a basket stuffed with towels and some lunches that Suzy had put together for them. Dan shuts the trunk because Arin's hands are full and Arin smiles at him.

"Thanks, baby."

Dan snorts at the pet name. He’s usually the one giving Arin affectionate nicknames, but whenever Arin does it, it makes Dan’s blood run a little warmer. He lets Arin lead the way down the slight roll of hill where thin, green grass gives way to hot sand. The two of them stumble down the sandy bank. Arin loses one of his flip-flops halfway down the beach.

"Shit! This sand is, like, lava-hot!" Arin shouts.

Dan breaks into laughter and grabs Arin's abandoned shoe.

"Well, what did you expect?"

"To not melt my feet!"

Arin chooses a spot pretty far from the water and Dan thinks that it must be for his benefit. He takes his shoe from Dan when he offers it and slides it back onto his foot. There's a nice breeze blowing over the beach, sending up the smell of the sea. Dan glances out at the ocean, how large it is, the water dark and churning, and has sudden vivid images of all sorts of horrific sea creatures rising out of the grey water and tugging him down into its depths. He shivers and, when he looks away, he sees Arin watching him with a slight frown.

Arin doesn’t say anything, and despite the sunblock he had put on before they left, Dan can see Arin’s cheeks are already starting to turn a light pink.

"Help me set up?" Arin asks.

Dan nods and helps Arin pull out their towels, setting them against the sand. Arin puts their basket on one of the towels to weigh it down, and digs out the sunblock, something fancy and expensive that Suzy had ordered online. He holds it out for Dan to take.

"Want me to put it on you?" he offers, waggling his eyebrows at Dan.

Dan laughs. "Is that why you planned this trip? You just wanted the opportunity to rub lotion all over my hot bod?"

"Fuck! You figured me out, man," Arin says.

Dan tugs off his shirt. He doesn't miss the way that Arin's eyes linger on his upper body, his gaze darkening momentarily. "I know that you hate the gym, but, fuck, your _abs_."

Dan giggles, flushing a little at Arin's words. He's always had pretty good self-esteem - he's aware that he's a pile of bones and skin - but it's different when Arin looks at him, when Arin's the one giving him attention and compliments. Somehow, it means more.

Dan rubs on the sunscreen, but he can't reach his back. Arin is all too happy to get it for him. Arin's slick hands rub at the expanse of his back, trailing his large fingers down Dan's sides, making Dan shiver under his touch. He turns in Arin's arms so that, now, Arin is holding loosely onto his hips.

Arin is smiling as he leans in to brush his lips softly against Dan's. They both smell like coconut and a little like flowers. Dan breaks away first, embarrassed, even though there's no one around. Arin, not letting him escape that easy leans back in and presses a sweet kiss to Dan's cheek.

"You're a fucking dork," Dan murmurs.

Arin smiles, big and wide. "Okay, are you ready for the tough stuff?"

Dan frowns. "You mean the water?"

Arin nods. "Yeah, if you're ready."

"Only if you remember the other part of your promise," Dan says.

"Of course I do," Arin says. His hand finds Dan's, lacing their fingers together and holding tight. "I'm right here with you."

Dan's heart skips a beat, bouncing in his chest. It has nothing to do with the water and everything to do with how solid and warm Arin is next to him. Their relationship is still new; it's been long enough that most things have transferred from friendship to relationship, but it's still fresh enough that Dan can feel positively overwhelmed by how Arin makes him feel.

Dan thinks that they must look ridiculous, standing there on the beach, holding hands, Arin in a tank top and his ugly, flowered bottoms and Dan shirtless, shivering, with his own bathing suit on. Arin only lets go of his hand long enough to pull off his tank top, throwing it onto their brightly-colored towels.

Arin takes his hand again and, like this, Dan thinks that he can push pass the bubbles of fear that are building up inside of him. Arin wouldn't let anything happen to him. He trusts him; he always has.

Dan kicks off his flip-flops. The hot sand burns his feet, but he's not exactly excited to rush into the ocean, either.

He lets Arin lead the way through the warm, golden sand. Down near the water, the waves roll in against the shore, wetting the sand. When Dan stands at the edge of the water, his feet sink into the damp sand, leaving his feet print behind. A wave rolls in, lapping lightly at the shore, tickling coldly against Dan's feet and ankles. Arin squeezes his hand, reassuring and tight.

"Should I carry you in bridal-style?" Arin asks.

"No way! You're gonna fucking drop me or some shit."

Arin raises his arm, flexing his muscles for Dan. "Uh, have you seen these guns? Plus, you weigh as much as a bag of flour."

"Hey! I'm, like, ripped now, too! You can't make fun of me!"

Arin's hand brushes against the hard line of Dan's abs, a teasing touch that makes Dan shiver, makes him wish they had stayed home and enjoyed the comfort of Arin’s bed. 

"Alright. It's like a Band-Aid, you know? The faster, the better,” Arin says. He squeezes Dan's hand and starts walking into the water.

Dan panics for a brief moment, a wild splash of fear, but he doesn't stop or let go of Arin. He follows Arin into the ocean and gasps at the cold water surrounding him, the air squeezing out of his lungs. This was all Arin's idea, but, as he wades into the water, he starts shouting.

"Fucking cold! Shit!"

Dan's giggling, even though he's pretty scared. Their hands are still linked, a solid heat amidst the cold. Arin stops them midway out so that the water settles around their hips.

"My dick is going to fall off!" Dan complains.

"Fuck, man, don't say that. I was just getting to know it."

Dan laughs. "If we weren't here, then you could be having some 'get to know me' time with my dick right about now."

"Daniel," Arin says, mock-hurt filling his voice, "don't use your dick against me."

Dan slides back into Arin's arms, his free hand wet and cold against Dan's dry back. Dan’s not big on public displays of affection, but, in the water, he feels better with Arin anchoring him, surrounding him.

"Are you alright so far?" Arin asks, checking in. Despite their joking, Dan appreciates him making sure that he's still okay with this.

Dan nods. Arin's damp fingers tug gently at the ends of Dan's hair. 

"I'm okay."

"Then let's go further," Arin says, a giddiness filling his voice as he edges them further into the water.

Dan lets Arin drag him out further, his arms wound around Dan as they move together. The water is rising, cold and steady, lapping like gentle kisses against Dan's chest. Arin is walking backward, his hands holding Dan's arms.

Letting Arin guide them was probably a huge mistake because, the further that they move out, the more weightless Dan begins to feel, his limbs floating in the water. The water is near his shoulders and, then, Arin somehow loses his balance, toppling backwards into the water and dragging Dan in with him.

Dan sinks under the crisp water for a moment, ice-cold everywhere, and, for a moment, he loses Arin's hand. The whole world colors a deep dark blue before Dan breaks the surface, gasping, his limbs flailing in an attempt to tread water. He isn't a strong swimmer, but he can keep himself on the surface. Arin pops up a millisecond later, his hair hanging shaggy in his face. Arin pushes the hair out of his face, smiling sheepishly at Dan.

"That wasn't on purpose," Arin says. He sounds sincere, a little worried, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Water drips off of the ends of Dan's hair, off the tip of his nose. The rest of his body has adjusted to the water, so he isn't as cold as before. Even though he's tall and his legs are long, his feet don't touch the sandy bottom of the ocean.

A chill moves through him. He imagines squids, eels, slimy, scary shit that's swimming just below the pads of his feet, ready to reach out and tug him under, sweep him back into that icy blue world that he had encountered when he and Arin fell under.

Arin must see the beginnings of panic fill Dan's face because, the next thing that he knows, Arin is closer, arms around him, helping support him. It doesn't work great, considering how tall they both are, but Dan feels better as he wraps his arms around Arin's neck, abandoning all embarrassment and letting Arin take care of him.

"See? It's not so bad," Arin murmurs against his ear.

Their bodies shift, wet and cool, against each other, the two of them bobbing in the water, swaying with the motion of the waves. They drift slightly, inching barely through the water, their legs moving together to tread. Suddenly, Dan feels something slink against his ankle and he yelps, loud and embarrassing.

"What?" Arin asks. "What's wrong?"

"Something touched me! Fuck, like, a fucking barracuda or something!" Dan shouts. He tries to move, desperately wishing that he were at the shore. Since he can't paddle back to the beach, and he can’t teleport, he does the next best thing; clinging to Arin. Dan raises his legs up to wrap around Arin's hips. 

"It was probably, just- like, sea weed or something - “Arin is trying not to laugh, struggling to stay afloat with Dan climbing all over him. "Though I'm not exactly complaining if you want to straddle me."

"Fucking - Arin, I'm being serious! Something tried to, like, eat my leg!"

"Holy shit, Dan. I promised that I would fight a shark for you, but sea weed? I don't know if I can handle that."

"Arin," Dan groans pathetically, resting his forehead against Arin's neck.

"You're okay," Arin says. "I promised that I'd keep you safe, right?"

"Yeah," Dan murmurs, feeling too much like a kid in Arin’s arms.

"So you're safe. We can head back into the shore if you want."

"Yeah. I think that this was enough for today."

Dan's legs are still locked around Arin's waist and, still, somehow, Arin is able to swim with Dan attached to him, moving them seamlessly through the water. Dan's chest is all warm and full because he never thought that he could honestly feel as safe in the ocean as he does right now, pressed against Arin.

Eventually, the water is low enough that Dan's feet can touch the sandy bottom, so he reluctantly lets his legs drop from Arin. They still hold hands as they climb from the water, heading up to the shore. The breeze clings to them, freezing Dan out. He's dying for the heat from the sand that had burned him before.

Arin swings their locked hands as they tread up the beach, the sand clinging to Dan's wet feet and ankles. Arin looks positively giddy, his grin huge and dumb.

"I'm proud of you," Arin says.

"Well, thanks. If it were anyone else, I probably wouldn't have done this."

"Really?" Arin asks in the same tone that he always uses when it sounds like he can't believe that Dan likes him back, how much Dan does care about him.

Dan shrugs. "Well, yeah, dude."

"Well, fuck, _now_ I gotta kiss you."

Dan barely has a second to laugh before Arin's mouth is meeting his in a fierce kiss. Now it's Arin's turn to hold him tight, like Dan had done out in the ocean. Arin tastes like salt from the sea, faintly like coconut. Dan hums into the kiss.

When they break apart, Arin's cheeks are flushed. Dan reaches out to brush the still-wet hair out of his face.

"You want some lunch?" Arin asks.

Dan sighs, as he digs into the basket searching for the hair tie he’d thrown in last minute before they left, "Yeah, sure."

They sit side-by-side on the towel, sand still clinging to their bodies. Arin pulls out the lunches that Suzy had made, sandwiches and pretzels that remind Dan of being a little kid on road trips with his family, of how all their food was packed into a cooler in the backseat and, sometimes, Dan would sneak snacks from it for him and Dana when their parents weren't looking.

Dan ties his hair up into a wet ponytail as Arin passes him his food. He knows his hair is going to be a mess by the time it dries. They eat quietly. Dan looks out at the cold expanse of gray ocean. It still scares him, but it's different now. Now, when he thinks of the ocean, he remembers the salty press of Arin's lips, how weightless he had felt, and how amazing and comforting it had felt to be wrapped around Arin and let Arin carry him through the water.

Maybe Arin's dumb plan was working. Dan had faced his fear, but the fears were being replaced by experiences with Arin. Fear becomes something different, something that blooms warm in Dan's chest.

"Thanks," Dan says, "for today."

Arin shrugs, but Dan can see the happiness radiating from him. "Thanks for coming with me." He takes a bite of his sandwich and glances out at the ocean. "I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to punch a shark, though."

"Maybe next time?" Dan offers.

Arin brightens. "There's gonna be a next time?"

"No promises, but it definitely seems more likely than before."

"Great! Next time, we'll bring everyone else so that they can see how brave you are."

"Plus, the more people, the less likely it is that _I'll_ be the one eaten," Dan says.

Arin laughs around his mouthful of sandwich. "Great plan, Dan."

Once they're done eating, the sun has mostly dried their wet bodies. Dan feels warm again, the panic eased out of him. Arin stands and tugs on his shirt.

"Fucking sand gets everywhere."

Dan laughs and puts his own shirt on, the sand scratching against his skin.

"Now we gotta take a shower," Dan says as Arin loads up the basket.

"A sexy shower?" Arin asks, looking at Dan over his shoulder. He sounds far too innocent for the question at hand.

"Uh, duh."

Arin tucks the basket under his arm, his other hand finding Dan's and holding tight as the two of them climb up the small hill that leads back to Arin's car.


End file.
